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Grantwriting, Fundraising & Driver’s Ed

You have something that you are passionate about, something you believe deeply in. It may be something you feel you were meant to do and share with the world.

It can be a series of paintings, a book, a play, a desire to make the world a better, a more beautiful place. Something you are uniquely positioned to do.

Maybe you are building your practice, you may be in a MFA program or both.

The most important question you have is: How will you create a life around making art or your passion project that can sustain you?

Which brings me to grantwriting and fundraising.

Learning how to write a grant that gets funded or creating ways for people to donate money to you is like learning how to drive a car to get someplace. It is understanding how to navigate the world of foundations, philanthropy and donors. Conceptually, it is not too different from mastering the rules of the road behind the wheel of a car.

Picture yourself in the driver’s seat after you have just learned how to drive. You will need a few things before you get going:

A destination – do you know where you are going?

Directions – what is the best way to get there?

Gas – have you got what you need to power your car?

The same is true in grantwriting. Knowing how to put together a competitive proposal is only part of the process. To turn that proposal into a successful grant award you will need to do a few other things:

Give the funder what they want

Think of it this way: You want something, they want something. A grant, like most human interactions, is a fair exchange between people. Give funders what they want first before you start asking. Do your homework. Answer the questions clearly. Respect word limits. Address the criteria. Granting an award to someone is like saying yes to the right partnership. Understanding what is important to a funder and positioning yourself as the one who can deliver that is what you give in exchange for a grant award. Make it about them.

Tip: Always give first.

Give the funder a place to jump in

Why just ask for money? If you create an experience where you can invite the funder to see themselves as a part of beyond funding it, you will open up the door for so many other ways you can work together.

Tip: Give something bigger.

Give the funder confidence

What do you need before you invest your money or your time into something? You will probably do some research and talk to people you trust.

A grant review panel is no different. They will be looking closely at your background, your letters of reference. They will scrutinize your budget to see if your numbers reflect fair market values. You need to give them everything they need to give them the confidence to invest grant dollars in you.

Tip: Create trust

Approach your grantwriting and fundraising efforts with these mindsets and you will get much more than success and confidence in achieving your grantwriting goals. Get to your destination and enjoy the ride.